Tenny: Hey guys, can we voice chat? I’m sitting here in the space port and feel sad.
Retty: Yes, of course!
Retty: Also, who keeps on changing our nicknames?
Nyssy: lol sorry it’s funny tho
Kayy: No, it’s fucking stupid. Anyway, Tenuk, we’re free, what’s up?
Retvik’s communicator rang as everyone gathered around on the sofas. Of course, Retvik immediately answered, and put it on loud speaker. Nyssi and Kayel were around, but Talok and Kuta had remained at Retvik’s place as well, mostly for solidarity reasons.
“Hey guys…” Tenuk’s voice crept out of the communicator. The signal wasn’t amazing, and he was clearly somewhere kinda busy. “You all alright?”
“Best friend Tenuk!” Talok bounced excitedly. “We miss you!”
“Oh hey, you’re all at Retvik’s place still. Yeah, uh, I kinda got teleported all the way back to my dad’s stupid massive castle and stuff. I suppose the nice thing is that I got to celebrate Kohra’s birthday on the 22nd before I set off back to Portalia. You all alright?”
“We are fine, I think…” Retvik grunted. “We are anxious for you though.”
“Is everyone else alright? What about Thassalin? And… Arkay?”
“Thassalin messaged me, he got teleported home to his nice cave on Kolasi!” Nyssi could tell that Tenuk wasn’t doing well. “We don’t know about Arkay, but apparently Sini is looking after him or something!”
Kayel gave Nyssi a funny look, but Nyssi hissed at him, hinting that he stay quiet. Tenuk didn’t need extra stress right now.
“Oh. That’s… good, I guess…”
“You don’t seem right, mate, what’s up?” Kayel asked as he scooted closer to Retvik.
Tenuk sighed. They could hear him moving around, to somewhere more quiet. “Eh, it’s a few things… Like… you know I got myself a new ID when I signed up as a gladiator and all that? Well, that’s in my bedroom at your place. I’m currently travelling on my old, original Spast passport, so I’ve got to be Tanos right now, which means I have to be red and silver and I don’t like it. And the biometric scans are annoying, I forget that we have to have eye scans when we travel through major territories because us Spasts are shapeshifting bastards.”
“Well, as soon as you get out of the Portalia space port, you can be Tenuk again, right?”
More sighs. “Yeah… It’s gonna be a while though. I’m on Alsana right now, which is fine, it’s a neutral world, but, weirdly, next stop after that is Threa, because it’s the closest large space port between here and Portalia.”
“You are going to Threa?” Kuta suddenly butted in. “Which port?”
“Uh, Phos Main Hub, I think.”
“I could save you a flight. I am returning to Phos tomorrow, but I am somewhat free on the 27th, we could arrange something, and I could bring you back here to Portalia. I would offer to come and get you already but… um… a jump to Alsana is far too far for me to go.”
Kuta’s offer immediately cheered Tenuk up.
“You can do that for me?”
“Yes. I mean, I live on Phos, and regularly make the jump between here and there anyway.”
“Would I be able to use this as an excuse to check in on Relkir?” Retvik asked. “I would like to see my siblings. Maybe Nyssi and Kayel could come along too.”
Kuta hesitated somewhat. “I have not tried shadowjumping more than one person over such a long distance, but I suppose I can do one of you at a time.”
“I hate to interrupt but I… I kinda can’t…” Kayel frowned. “I’m a known Phantasma, I’m not allowed in the Rethan capital. I’d be arrested. Kinda surprised you don’t get arrested all the time, Kuta.”
“Hah!” Kuta snorted. “I actually did get arrested quite a few times when I was younger for sneaking out and breaking curfew, until the old 11th Legion had me properly checked out and analysed. I was arrested again somewhat recently when I first shadowjumped to Palaestra after Arkay left me…” Kuta paused, and rubbed the top of their head plate, which had an ever so slight dent in it. “Hm. Vaksavar was rather rough with me… But yes, I can definitely save you a flight, Tenuk!”
“That… that’d be… awesome…” Tenuk’s tone had changed again.
“Is something wrong? You sound like you’re about to cry!” Kayel quickly pointed out. “Are you alright?”
Tenuk could be heard moving again. He’d moved somewhere quieter. “I’m… just sad… Today’s the 25th, right? It’s… It’s the day my mum died, and seeing Kohra and Levik reminded me of her…”
“What happened to her?”
“She died. Not long after she gave birth to Kohra. Standard birth complications, but we kinda didn’t expect it because she didn’t have problems with me and Levik. Kohra still blames himself for her death, to the point that he hardly shapeshifts. Normally it’s not that painful, but this year marks 19 years since she passed and…” Tenuk trailed off. He was sniffing, possibly trying to hide tears. “I’m starting to forget her. I don’t really remember what mum sounded like. My memories are fading and it hurts.”
Everyone glanced at each other, then turned to Kuta, hoping they knew what to say, what with Kuta being both older and wiser.
“Tenuk, may I make a suggestion?”
“Yeah, sure… Although it’ll have to be quick, I think my flight’s being called.”
Kuta frowned a little. “That is unfortunate, because we would like to talk this through with you. However, apart from Nyssi, most of us are… not really familiar with caring mothers. So, while you are on your flight, would you be able to think up some nice memories of her, to tell us when you get back?”
“That… that’s a good idea. I’ll… I’ll do that. It’ll be a nice distraction but it might make me sad still.”
“I know, and we understand. But here is another thing to think about. She loved you, yes?”
“Yeah.”
“That is good to hear. I am sure your mum would not want you to be sad about her death, she would understand that you are sad, but she would not want that sadness to linger. I know Spasts are long-lived and death is particularly hard for you, but your mum would want you to be happy, to live your life. And I am certain she would be oh so proud of you.”
The tears and sniffs seemed to stop. “You’re… you’re absolutely right… I’m sorry, I really need to go now. Will you be… able to pick me up from the Threa space port?”
“Of course. Send Retvik a message when you land and we will come and pick you up.”
“Thanks… It’s like, a twenty hour flight so I’ll be gone a while… I’ll see you all soon.”
Everyone immediately started saying goodbye and wishing Tenuk a good flight. Tenuk muttered a goodbye of his own, then closed the call. Retvik sent Tenuk a smiley face text message, and so did Nyssi and Kayel.
“Not gonna lie, Kuta, you’re really good at calming people down!” Nyssi exclaimed.
Kuta shrugged as they leaned back and put an arm around Retvik. “Well, you all claim I am old, and one does tend to pick things up as they age. But also my… friend is a psychologist, they have taught me a few things.”
“You mean your brother, yes?” Kayel asked.
Kuta glared at Kayel, but didn’t comment on his statement. Instead, Kuta got up and grabbed some drinks and some of the leftover pizza they still had.
“Either way, we made Tenuk feel better, so job well done.”
Retvik nodded in agreement. “He will be fine, I am sure.”